The attitude of Ukrainians towards the creation of a Single Local Church

•According to the results of the research carried out by the Sociological Group “Rating”, 54% of the respondents have a positive attitude towards the idea of creating a Single Local Church in Ukraine. 19% share the opposite opinion, 19% show indifference about this issue.

•The highest level of support for the idea of the Single Local Church was recorded in the West (68%) and Center (58%). At the same time, in the South, there are not less than 45% of the supporters of this initiative, in the East - 37%. It should be noted that in the Southern and Eastern regions, in contrast to the rest of Ukraine, a relatively higher number of those who are indifferent or negative towards this topic is recorded (about a quarter of the polled in each category).

•А high level of support for the Local Church was recorded among the oldest respondents (61%). Among young people - about 45%, among the representatives of middle age - 51%. Within the context of denominations, the initiative of autocephaly has the greatest support among the parishioners of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (KP). In general, considering these categories, the support for the Single Local Church idea equals over 75%. Among the parishioners of other denominations, the number of such is about half. Among those who consider themselves to be believers but not referring to any denomination - 43%, among non-believers - 29%. The parishioners of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (MP) are the most opposed to the Local Church - more than half of them are negative towards this idea. Despite this, almost a third of them (28%) are positive towards autocephaly.

•36% of all respondents believe that the creation of the Single Local Church will unite the country, 23% think that this initiative will have no impact on the consolidation of society. At the same time, 24% speak about a possible split. In the East (34%) and among the parishioners of the UOC (MP) (57%), the thoughts about the split are the most widespread. Along with that, considering other categories (regional, age, confessional), the number of those who believe that the Local Church creation is more likely to unite country is higher as compared to the number of those who have the opposite opinion.

•30% of all respondents believe that Patriarch Filaret (UOC (KP) should head the Single Local Church; 7% think the same about Metropolitan Onuphriy (UOC (MP), 3% - Metropolitan Makariy (UAOC), 11% think that none of them should lead the Local Church; 42% have not yet decided on this issue. Among those who have a positive attitude towards the creation of the Single Local Church, trends of support for possible leaders are similar: Patriarch Filaret receives 50% of support, Metropolitan Onuphriy - 5%, Metropolitan Makariy - 4%. One-third within this category has not yet formed an opinion on the potential Head of the Single Local Church.

•Patriarch Filaret as the possible Head of the Single Local Church has the greatest support among the parishioners of the Church he leads (57%). Among other denominations, the support for him is slightly lower. Among the supporters of the UGCC, the number of such is 31%; among the representatives of other confessions - 21%, among believers without confession - 20%. Meanwhile, among the parishioners of the UOC (MP), Metropolitan Onuphriy (29%) is more likely to be seen as the Head of the Single Local Church. At the same time, every tenth here does not mind that after receiving autocephaly the Local Church is headed by Patriarch Filaret.

•34% of the polled trust the Pope Francis (16% do not trust), 30% trust Patriarch Filaret (17% do not trust), 20% trust the leader of the Constantinople Orthodox Church Bartholomew the First (13% do not trust), 19% trust the Greek Catholic Church Archbishop Svyatoslav (12% - do not trust), 16% trust the Primate of the UOC (MP) Onuphriy (28% do not trust), 13% trust the UAPC Primate Makariy (12% - do not trust). Only 13% trust the Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Kyryl (37% - do not trust).

•Pope, Patriarch Filaret, Bartholomew the First, Archbishop Svyatoslav, and Metropolitan Makariy receive the highest level of trust in the West. Metropolitan Onuphriy has a relatively higher level of trust in the South, the ROC Patriarch Kyryl - in the South and East. Church leaders enjoy a higher level of trust among the older generation.

•It should be noted that some church leaders are respected among the parishioners of other denominations rather than they head. Thus, despite the high level of trust among the Greek Catholics, Pope Francis also has a high level of trust among the parishioners of the UOC (KP). Patriarch Filaret is positively treated by the supporters of the UOC (KP) and the UGCC. Also, a similar attitude was recorded towards Bartholomew the First. Archbishop Svyatoslav has a relatively high level of trust among the parishioners of the UOC (KP), Metropolitan Makariy - among the UOC (KP) and the UGCC parishioners. On the other hand, Metropolitan Onuphriy and Patriarch Kyryl enjoy a relatively higher level of trust specifically among the parishioners of the UOC (MP).

Audience: residents of Ukraine aged 18 and older. The sample is representative in terms of age, gender, region, and settlement type. Total sample: 2000 respondents. Personal formalized interview (face-to-face). The margin of error does not exceed 2.2%. Period of the survey: 27 September – 4 October, 2018